


The Boyfriend Clause

by Akira_of_the_Twilight



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Bodyguard Steve Rogers, College student Tony, Established Relationship, M/M, Mercenaries, Protective Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers-centric, Student Tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 04:28:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8236079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akira_of_the_Twilight/pseuds/Akira_of_the_Twilight
Summary: Imagine Steve as college!Tony's overprotective bodyguard and Bucky as the villain/thief/or just another student that wants to date Tony but has to get around Steve to do it.

Steve cleared his throat, and Howard looked up from his numbers. Before Howard could go back to pretending that he was listening with a half-ear, Steve flipped the papers around and pointed to the second section. “I’m fine with everything I’ve signed off on so far, but I’m confused about this boyfriend section. You want me to prevent Tony from having a boyfriend?”
Howard huffed and waved at one of his lawyers.
The woman indicated sat up straighter as she explained for Howard, “You are not to prevent Anthony Stark from having a boyfriend, you are to hinder the romance between Anthony and his current boyfriend.”
“Why?” Steve asked.
Howard snorted. “You amuse me, kid. All right, I’ll play ball. Tony’s boyfriend likes to put rebellious ideas in Tony’s head. Since he is not so easily bought or intimidated, I need someone to act as a chaperone and stop any further growth of the relationship.” Howard leveled Steve with a scrutinizing look. “So can you do the job?”
Steve picked up his pen and signed.





	

“You forgot to initial here and here.” One of the many Stark family lawyers flipped the stack of papers around and pointed to the lines Steve had missed.

Steve internally sighed and pulled the contract back toward himself. He reread the lines of the contract. His brain was muddled and tired from having spent days reading over this very contract. There had been times when he had been tempted to burn it, but then he reminded himself just how monumental this opportunity was and just how badly he needed it.

He wanted to go straight—no more thieving, blackmailing, and stabbing people to make a living.

If he became the bodyguard of Tony Stark and toughed it out for a few months, he’d never have to worry about going back to that life again.

Steve initialed the first forgotten section then skimmed over the second.

His memory clicked into place as he recalled why he hadn’t initialed in the first place.

Steve glanced up from the papers.

Howard Stark was seated across the table, seemingly ignoring the proceedings and trusting his lawyers to do everything for him as he scribbled calculations down in a well-used notebook.

Steve cleared his throat, and Howard looked up from his numbers (he was paying attention a lot more than he was letting on then). Before Howard could go back to pretending that he was (at best) listening with a half-ear, Steve flipped the papers around and pointed to the second section. “I’m fine with everything I’ve signed off on so far, but I’m confused about this boyfriend section. You want me to prevent Tony from having a boyfriend?”

Howard huffed and waved at one of his lawyers.

The woman indicated sat up straighter as she explained for Howard, “You are not to prevent Anthony Stark from having a boyfriend, you are to hinder the romance between Anthony and his current boyfriend.”

“Why?” Steve asked.

“That is privileged information.”

Steve frowned. “With all due respect, but that is bull shit.”

All of the lawyers tensed, but Howard was once again looking up from his notebook. Intrigue glinted in his eyes.

“If I’m Tony’s bodyguard then I need to know what I am guarding him against. Am I dealing with an abusive boyfriend? A potential spy from another company? Just an asshole? Or is this just some disguised bigotry.”

Howard snorted. A grin spread across his face. “You amuse me, kid. All right, I’ll play ball. Tony’s boyfriend has a spotless past. Too spotless. He is obviously a plant. He also likes to put rebellious ideas in Tony’s head. Since his record is so spotless though and he is not so easily bought or intimidated, I need someone to act as a chaperone and stop any further growth of the relationship.” Howard leveled Steve with a scrutinizing look. He turned the papers back on Steve and pushed them toward Steve. “So can you do the job?”

Steve’s stomach roiled. He wasn’t a fan of impeding on other’s relationships, but this was a golden opportunity, and Tony Stark already had a reputation for being a bit of a playboy. He’d probably find someone else to fall for soon.

Steve picked up his pen and signed.

* * *

Steve cursed up a storm as he ran around the college campus. On moment he’d had Tony in his sights, and the next his charge had disappeared as if by magic.

If Steve hadn’t already experienced Tony’s ability to disappear in the blink of an eye he might have panicked and assumed that the just barely legal adult had been abducted right in front of him. “God damn it, Tony,” Steve muttered and began searching any possible hiding place nearby—Tony never went very far when he performed his disappearing acts. Steve also made a point of double-checking where he’d last seen Tony for any signs of having been snatched.

Even if Steve was ninety-percent sure at this point that Tony was doing what he always did, Steve had to make sure. The shallow reason being because it was his job, and the real reason being because Steve was fond of the overgrown brat and genuinely wanted to keep Tony safe.

Despite his less than stellar reputation, Tony was a nice guy. He liked to wrap himself in a barrier of sarcasm, but the guy seemed to truly want to help people and was eager for his father’s approval. He also worked harder than any person Steve had ever met. Tony already had multiple Bachelor degrees and was finishing up his Masters so he could move on to his doctorates.

Steve had no idea how Tony did it all beyond sleeping every other day (it used to be every three days, but after some arguing Steve had been able to convince Tony he’d operate more efficiently if he slept more frequently).  

Steve grumbled as searched for his ward.

“You looking for Tony?” a student hollered as she and her friend strolled by.

Everyone knew about Tony and his bodyguard; it wasn’t the first time Tony had disappeared and someone had pointed him in Tony’s direction.

Steve nodded.

The girl cocked her head behind her. “He’s in the parking lot making out with some biker guy.”

Steve’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. _The boyfriend!_

Even after a month, Steve had yet to meet the mysterious boyfriend. He knew a good chunk of the time that Tony had wandered off it was to see the man, but Steve had never come close to seeing the man in person.

Steve said his thanks and hurried to the parking lot.

Steve skidded to a halt just of the outside the fringes of the lot. His heart jumped in chest at the familiar lazy smirk of the rugged man currently holding Tony’s hips as the genius sat atop an equally familiar motorcycle and chatted happily.

James Bunchanan Barnes, aka Bucky: Steve’s best friend and also a merc for hire.

Bucky’s stormy eyes slid to Steve. His expression remained amused, but anyone paying attention would have been able to see the way Bucky seized Steve up.

After a few more seconds of analyzing Steve, Bucky’s smirk grew and he shifted his hands from Tony’s hips to Tony’s cheeks. He said something to Tony and kissed the genius. Tony’s hands flew up, grabbing hold of Bucky’s arms for purchase as he leaned into the kiss.

When they parted, Tony said something to Bucky. Bucky shook his head, his smile a bit dimmer. He nodded at Steve, and Tony turned.

Annoyance spread across Tony’s face. He huffed, wrapped his arms around Bucky’s neck, and kissed Bucky like he was dying of thirst and Bucky was an oasis in the desert.

Bucky gently pried Tony off him, muttered something, then kissed Tony on the forehead.

Tony was not pleased, but he got off of Bucky’s motorcycle.

Bucky hopped on the bike, gave Tony one last parting kiss, then drove off.

Tony was red-faced as he stormed up to Steve. He sent Steve a scathing look. “Well, now you know what he looks like. Don’t think that means it’s going to be any easier for you to keep us apart. Plenty of bodyguards have already tried, and we’re still dating.”

Tony haughtily marched past Steve, knowing that Steve would follow.

Steve did, but truthfully, if it hadn’t been his job to stay close to Tony, he would have given into his shock and stood there gaping.

Bucky and Tony were dating?   


* * *

There was a soft click as Steve picked the lock on Bucky’s apartment. Cautious, Steve turned the knob and let the door swing open.

No sign of Bucky, but that didn’t mean Bucky wasn’t inside. “It’s me, Buck.”

Steve took a slow step inside the apartment, arms raised above his head.

Still no sign of Bucky.

Steve took a few more steps and the door shut behind him. Before he could turn around, he felt the barrel of a gun placed to the back of his head.

“Breaking into my apartment?” Bucky’s voice came out teasing, but the gun to Steve’s head was anything but. “And here I thought you’d gone straight.”

Steve sighed. “Will you just pat me down already? I know you’re going to want to confirm that I don’t have weapons or a wire.”

Bucky chuckled and began patting along Steve’s sides while still keeping the gun to Steve’s head. “Not that you need a weapon.” Bucky continued searching Steve. When Bucky found nothing, he finally lowered his gun and took a step back.

“Paranoid?” Steve quirked an eyebrow at Bucky.

Bucky strolled over to his fridge and pulled out a can of beer. He popped the tab. “Don’t act like you don’t know the business, Steve. Even spouses will turn on each other if someone pays high enough.”

“But we never would,” Steve said.

Bucky cocked his head. He leaned against the kitchen counter. “Really? Cause I also thought we were in this together until the end and then you decide you don’t want to do this anymore.” Bucky shrugged and drank his beer. “Things change.”

“Like your _boyfriend_.” Steve didn’t hide his contempt. “I don’t know what your job is, but Tony is just a kid, you shouldn’t—”

“No he ain’t.” Bucky scowled. “I don’t date kids.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Fine. Legally he’s an adult, but that doesn’t mean anything. If you’ve been dating him this long you know that he may be book smart, but street wise he’s still learning.”

“So?” Bucky said.

Steve’s ire rose. “So back off.”

Bucky pretended to mull it over. “Nope.” He grinned wickedly. “He’s pretty and a good kisser.”

“I’ll tell him what your real profession is, Buck. Don’t think I won’t.”

Bucky shrugged. “He already knows.”

Steve’s stomach dropped. “He does?”

Bucky scowled and waved his hand as if dismissing something. “One of his previous bodyguards was a real idiot and let Tony out of his sight all the time. Tony didn’t even have to sneak off. Guy got jumped by some thugs, and the thugs went for Tony. I’d been nearby and saw it happen, so I tracked the thugs down and rescued the baby Stark.” Bucky took another swig of beer. “It was all very romantic, according to Tony.”

“So then you got further into Tony’s good graces,” Steve stated, not amused.

“You could say that.”

“Nonetheless, I am Tony’s new bodyguard, and it is my job to keep you two apart, and don’t think I won’t. Just because Tony has this fantasy in his head about you doesn’t mean I’m going to let you manipulate him.”

Bucky expression was impassive. He took another sip, letting silence fill the space between him and Steve. “All right. Fine. You do your job and I do mine.”   


* * *

“Don’t even think about it,” Steve said.

Tony froze, poised on the windowsill with one leg hanging over the side and the other bent to join its brother. “I’m just reenacting my favorite scene from a movie.”

Steve pointed to the floor in front of him. “Over here. Now.”

Tony grumbled, but climbed back into the manor. He glared at Steve.

Steve held out his hand.

Tony wrinkled his nose.

“Either call Bucky and tell him to go home, or I’ll take your phone from you by force and call him myself.”

Tony scowled, but whipped out his phone and dialed Bucky. “Hey, Bucky bear–”

“On speaker,” Steve demanded.

Tony huffed and did as he was told.

“Something wrong, doll?”

“Steve caught me escaping.”

“Hi, Bucky.”

Bucky chuckled. “He wins this round then. Don’t worry, doll, I’ll see you soon.”

“But I want to see you now.” Tony glowered at Steve.

Steve rolled his eyes, and took the phone from Tony. “Bye, Bucky.” Steve hung up. He returned the phone to Tony.

Tony stormed off, not saying a word to Steve.   


* * *

Steve grabbed Tony’s wrist and pulled him back to his side. They were visiting SI labs so Tony could use some of the equipment there for a project he was working on.

“I need to go pee,” Tony said.

“You went pee ten minutes ago, and you only had two cups of coffee today. You don’t need to pee again,” Steve stated.

“You don’t know that,” Tony argued.

“Yes, I do. Now do you want to get this project done some time today, or do you want to come back here tomorrow?”

Tony’s face was flush with anger, but he got back to work.

* * *

Tony’s attempts at running off to see Bucky continued. There were many times when Tony succeeded, but there were an equal amount of times in which Tony failed. Steve would have preferred for the ratio to be in his favor, but he would take what he could get. According to gossip from the manor staff, Steve so far was the most successful bodyguard when it came to preventing Tony from sneaking out.

Steve wasn’t too surprised. Now that Steve knew who Tony was dating it was obvious that Bucky had coached Tony through all the ways to lose a tail, or in this case a bodyguard.

Steve sighed, a box of baked goods in his hands as well as a pack of beer. He was supposed to have the night off, but he decided to swing by Tony’s room with… a bribe? A peace offering? Steve didn’t really know. He just knew that in the last four days he’d been very successful in keeping Tony away from Bucky, and that the young man was growing extremely agitated.

Steve and Tony did get along most of the time. It was only when Tony made an escape and the hours afterwards in which they fought.

Neither liked to lose and their egos bruised easily.

Steve knocked on Tony’s bedroom door. “Hey, Tony, I got snacks and beer if you want any.”

Silence.

Steve frowned. He knocked again but received no answer.

Steve opened the door and peeked inside. The room was dark, so he flipped on the lights.

Steve’s eyes went instantly to the window and the makeshift ladder hanging from outside it.

Steve cursed and dropped the goodies onto the floor. He sprinted to his room, grabbed his keys, wallet, and a gun (with no intention of using it, but knowing he should have it on him just to be prepared). In minutes, he was zooming through traffic on his motorcycle and headed to Bucky’s place.

When he reached Bucky’s apartment, he debated his next course of action. Using the front door would be more convenient, but if the two boyfriends were inside they probably wouldn’t answer if he knocked. Steve decided to use the fire escape. He made short work of climbing the ladders and stopped right next to Bucky’s apartment.

The window was open a crack, something that was unusual for Bucky, but Steve let the thought go when he heard Tony’s voice from within the apartment.

“I hate him,” Tony’s voice was muffled.

Bucky shushed Tony. “Don’t say that. You were just telling me how Steve assisted with one of your projects the other day. He also doesn’t try to keep you cooped up as much as your other bodyguards.”

Steve shifted so he could peer through the window.

Bucky was seated in his beanbag chair with Tony sprawled in his lap and clinging to him. Bucky had an arm wound tightly around Tony’s waist while the other played with Tony’s hair.

“Yeah,” Tony grumbled, “but at least I got to see you more with the others. Steve’s too good.”

Bucky snickered and kissed Tony’s forehead. “Good. Means he’ll actually be able to protect you. I don’t have to worry about you when I’m away on a job.”

Tony huffed. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on Bucky’s shoulder. “Why don’t you be my bodyguard?”

Bucky winced. The hand he had on Tony’s waist gently rubbed the genius’ side in a comforting manner. “Your dad already knows what I look like. Even with a fake identity, I couldn’t get the job.” Bucky sighed and rested his chin on Tony’s head. “I already tried.”

Steve startled. Bucky had tried to become Tony’s bodyguard? It wasn’t unheard of for Bucky or Steve to take jobs as bodyguards in the past to get close to their victims, but Bucky already had an in with Tony—he was Tony’s boyfriend. So either Bucky was lying or he was sincere, and if Bucky was sincere…

Steve shook his head, no time to think about that now.  He was supposed to be rescuing Tony.

Except Steve couldn’t bring himself to move. He was too intrigued by what was occurring between Bucky and Tony.

“I want to stay the night,” Tony said softly.

Bucky sighed. He sat up straighter and eased Tony off him.

“Bucky,” Tony whined.

Bucky rubbed the back of his neck, looking mildly irritated. “I want you to too, and if anyone else were responsible for you I’d let you, but I know Steve, and he doesn’t deserve to get in trouble.”

“It’s his night off,” Tony protested.

“Doesn’t change the fact that he’ll freak out when he realizes you’re gone.”

Tony didn’t say anything, but the way he could no longer meet Bucky’s eyes said it all.

With a fond smile, Bucky kissed Tony and helped him to stand. He grabbed his leather jacket off the floor and gave it to Tony to wear. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride home.”

Tony nodded, and together they left the apartment.

Steve made his way down the fire escape. He waited to see Bucky and Tony take off down the road before he hopped on his motorcycle and followed them.

He half expected them to make a stop somewhere and was pleased when Bucky took Tony directly back to the manor.

Bucky and Tony hugged and kissed as they said their goodbyes.

Steve looked away to give them privacy, even if they were unaware of his presence.

Steve used the moment to contemplate Bucky.

Bucky and Tony had been dating a lot longer than Steve had originally expected. Steve was familiar with Bucky’s technique. By now Bucky could have easily gotten any information from Tony that he would have needed, and if there was something he was trying to steal from Tony or the Starks in general, Bucky would have made a move by now. If he’d been hired to kill Tony, Bucky had had plenty of opportunities (tonight being one of them).

The optimist in Steve wanted to believe that Bucky had real feelings for Tony, but he also knew the business Bucky was in, and Bucky had always been skilled when it came to making everyone believe he was in love. There had been many times in the past when they had been partners when Steve had been left to doubt Bucky’s true feelings for their target. Bucky had always proven his feeling false in the end though.

Steve took a deep breath.

Bucky and Tony parted. Bucky watched Tony sneak back into the manor then turned and walked his bike in Steve’s direction.

“You know, you’re losing your edge,” Bucky drawled. “I spotted you following us right away.”

“Maybe I wanted you to know,” Steve said.

Bucky rolled his bike up to Steve and stopped. He eyed his friend and former colleague. “We didn’t plan this tonight, just so you know. Guy completely surprised me.”

Steve nodded. “Probably why he got away with it. He gets a certain look in his eyes whenever he’s about to sneak off; it’s how I know to watch him extra carefully. This was probably spur of the moment on his account.”

Bucky nodded.

“How did you meet Tony?” Steve asked.

“Job. Someone wanted something stolen. I infiltrated a party and Tony was there. I used him to blend in and he asked for my number. He gave me his when I refused.”

“So you called him.”

“Well, my best bud was off trying to make a legal living and was avoiding me, so I got bored. Figured I could get my rocks off.” Bucky snorted and ruffled his hair. “Never planned to get a boyfriend.”

Steve nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. Everything Bucky said was just his word. Steve longed to trust his best friend, but he’d need more substantial proof.

Steve patted Bucky on the shoulder, walking past his best friend and to the manor. “It’s my night off, so I’m not going to throw you off the property. I am contracted to keep you and Tony apart as much as possible though, so don’t think this means I’m going to back off.” Steve smiled over his shoulder at Bucky. “I’m also going to make your life a living hell if he gets hurt while he’s out with you, so you better keep him safe.”

Bucky scoffed, a smile playing on his lips. “Oh please, punk. Tony is safest with me and you know it. You should be happy that I even give you a chance to play bodyguard with him at all. If you didn’t need the job so bad, I’d have whisked Tony away long ago.”

“Is that so?” Steve challenged.

Bucky’s grin grew. “No doubt about it.”

Steve smirked. “Well then. Looks like I’m just going to have to up my game.”

“You can try, but I’ll always be number one. Good luck though.” With that, Bucky turned his back on Steve and carted his bike down the road.

Excitement rushed through Steve.

Steve wasn’t going to go easy on Bucky.


End file.
